I just can't figure out if The Bitter Barkeep was named after me, Finn, or Pale.

Hmm... a version of the Suffering Bastard perhaps? Or the Missionary's Downfall?

Conceptually I dig it, but now having been to the five open Disney Parks I'm disappointed. This could have been a full-blown churrascaria (think Brazilian steakhouse) offering a pan-Latin American menu; instead we get more vaguely global fusion food filtered heavily through a Mid-Western palate.

The Harambe Market in the Animal Kingdom is a good example.

A corn dog with yellow curry in the batter. They could have done better.

That said, the American parks have the worst dining options overall.

That said, I'm holding out for the recently announced (and nearly lost in the D23 hoopla) Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. Skipper Canteen!

From the blog:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jennifer Fickley-Baker

At the Jungle Skipper Canteen, guests will be able to experience “World Famous Jungle Cuisine” in one of several unique dining rooms – including a crew mess hall and a once-hidden secret meeting room of the famed Society of Explorers and Adventurers. The restaurant will also be staffed by Jungle Cruise Skippers.

The Jungle Skipper Canteen is currently under construction and will open its doors in late 2015. Stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog for more.

If we're lucky maybe the menu from the entrance queue will make an appearance in some form!

We ate at the Harambe Marketplace in June and, yeah, not that impressive. We had 3 of the entrees (corn dog, kabob flatbread, ribs) and none of them were bad thy just weren't particularly noteworthy. Nice to have another option in Animal Kingdom but not something that's on my must eat list when we're back in December.

I always chuckle when people critique food at a place like WDW or WDL esp. in park dining.

Here are a couple of points - a WDL exec recently told me that in the global Disney budget ALL F&B (from a bag of popcorn or a coke to a private dinner for 2 a Victoria and Albert's or a club 33 membership) revenue accounts for less than 1% of Disney revenue. So how much time do you really think is spent on menu development - hence all the corporate tie ins (Think the YaK & Yeti or whatever it is called).

Then you have to think about actually keeping the guest happy. With the millions of guests coming in you have to keep everyone happy. As any chef worth their weight in salt will tell you - you season to the level of the person most sensitive to seasonings.

If you walk into a park with the scope and scale of WDW or WDL (or any of the other countries) and think you find French Laundry food - well you are in for a long life.

I have always been happily surprised by the quality and consistency of the offerings. But maybe because I had such low expectations.

First look from the Disney Food Blog. Apparently souvenir drink glasses are on the way but haven't arrived yet. Also they'll have a rotating group of themed coasters from some of Jock's "favorite bars" elsewhere in the world:

There's a cameo/locket (near the Headpiece) and a knife on top of a shelf, but I couldn't identify either of those.

The "Fate of Atlantis" necklace was quite a nice surprise. It amazes me how they can get a nice detail right while getting so many other things wrong. There are also 2 pith helmets and 1 steel Brody* helmet hanging about.

*Not to be confused with Marcus Brody but the typical British/Canadian/American helmet of WW1.

A large photo to the left of the entrance shows a woman in jodhpurs posing in front of an aeroplane and I'm wondering if that's Amelia Earhart or not.

My mother-in-law, until she passed earlier this year, worked at Walt Disney World for the last 10 years. So our trips to Walt Disney World are actually "visiting her parents" trips. My wife was at Disneyland for the first time in almost 9 years in July.

We're heading to Seattle later this month to see my family and we're working on a trip to Hawaii next year. London probably the year after that.

I am putting this place on my list of places to stop by should i ever go to Disney World again... Especially because the last time I went, I was a kid and now that I am a college graduate I can actually appreciate bars.

Not Indy related, but there are at least two references to The Rocketeer hidden around the room. Dollar to the first one that spot 'em.

The folks over at Mouse Steps were the first through the doors, and put together a rather comprehensive video of the hangar.*

* - I don't remember the exact numbers, but early "jet" fuel was highly, highly flammable. Modern jet fuel has a flashpoint of ~100 degrees Fahrenheit and an autoignition point of 410 degrees Fahrenheit. So, while not uncommon, is an enclosed wooden hangar the brightest idea, Jock?

If you fast forward to the 10:49 mark, the barman lists the number of Easter Eggs in the building without giving away the locations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Attila the Professor

It'd appear that Samantha Sterling was one of the characters at the Adventurer's Club, a sort of precursor to this joint.

Bite your tongue, sir. And drop your drawers!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Attila the Professor

This seems a suitable place for a reminder that Brandon Kleyla, who directed that Indyfans doc, is a set dresser for Walt Disney Imagineering.

He doesn't appear to be outwardly involved though. Everything seems to indicate that he's heavily involved in bringing Avatarland to fruition.

That's one. The nod to the late Mr. Hughes is far too general to be tied to the movie in question. You'd suspect that Jock would know Howard as a fellow hotshot pilot. Now if they had the plans to the X-1(?) lying about that'd be something to crow about. In fact, I suspect there might be more 'layering' from The Rocketeer than the Indy exploits.

No respectable German Mechanic is going to be caught dead drinking a shandy!